Wrench.



N0. 63l,|48. Patented Aug. I5, I899. J. BEEBY.

WRENCH.

(Application filed July 11, 1898.)

(No Model.)

11m mum.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BEEBY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,148, dated August15, 1899.

Apnlication filed July 11,1898. Serial No. 635,705. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES BEEBY, of Ohicago, in the county of Cook,State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWrenches, of which the following is a complete specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

My present invention relates to improvements in wrenches, and has forits object the production of a simple, durable, and efficient tool ofthis character comprising a fixedjaw shank and movable jaw, as usual,and in addition a handle so constructed and operatively connected withthe fixed and movable jaws that it may be operated by a slight increaseof the gripping action to permit the movable jaw to be moved freely toadjust its position and to be securely locked against casualdisplacement, the device being soarranged that when this adjustment hasbeen accomplished inferior or subordinate adjustments may be effected bythe rotation of the handle.

To the accomplishment of these and other objects my invention consistsin providing the shank of the fixed jaw withathreaded section designedto be engaged by a handle composed of pivoted members engaging themovable jaw in a manner to accomplish fine adjustments of the latterwhen the handle is rotated and is caused by reason of the threadedconnection to travel toward one end or the other of the threadedextension of the shank. The connection between the handle members andthe movable jaw is such that when the handle is turned to the properposition and is gripped firmly the threaded portion of the handlemembers will be disengaged from the threaded portion of the shankextension, and the movable jaw and handle may be freely moved toaccomplish coarse adjustment of said jaw. A spring or other expandingmeans is provided between the rear ends of the handle members tocausethe threaded connection to be established normally for the purposeof securing the movable jaw in its coarse adjustments by simplyreleasing the grip or pressure on the handle, the secondary or fineadjustments being then accomplished by rotating the handle and causingit to travel along the threaded extension in the manner above indicated.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my wrench.Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section, some of the parts being shownin elevation. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on a somewhat enlarged scale,taken on the line 3 3 of Fig 2; and 'Fig. 4: is a side elevation atright angles to Fig. l and showing the handle compressed for the purposeof causing the disengagement of the handle-sections from the threadedextension.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings,

1 indicates the fixed head of my wrench, which may be of any suitable orordinary construction, provided with a shank 2, terminating in ascrew-threaded shank extension 3.

The numeral 4 indicates a movable jaw provided with the hollow shank 5,through which the shank 2 of the fixed jaw is designed to extend. Thetwo shanks are preferably rectangular in cross-section, although it willbe obvious that any desirable configuration can be adopted, and what maybe called the front and rear walls of the hollow shank 5 are extendedsomewhat and are provided with inturned flanges 6, directly behind whichare located oppositely-disposed recesses 7.

The numeral 8 indicates the handle, composed of two pivoted members 9and 10, provided upon their forward extremities with outwardly-extendingflanges 11, which are designed to enter the recesses 7 and to abutagainst the rear faces of the flanges 6. The handle members are providedwith correlative semicircular recesses extending longitudinally in theirinner faces and designed when the handle members are brought into theiroperative relations to constitute an axial bore 12, into which theextension 3 of the shank 2 extends. The bore 12 adjacent to the frontend of the handle is internally screw-threaded to correspond to thethreads upon the shank extension, and the major portion of the bore isenlarged to confine the threaded connection between the handle membersand shank extension to the forward end of the handle.

The numeral 13 indicates a spring, which may be of any suitable form,secured to one or both of the handles within the bore adjacent to itsrear or outer end and designed by normally expanding the rearextremities of the handle members to bring the threaded portion of thehandle into operative contact with the threads upon the shankextension3. Thus it will be seen that by rotating the handle it will becaused to travel in the desired direction upon the threaded extensionand will effect gradually the adjustment of the jaw 4. It is desirable,however, in this class of tools that, while this gradual adjustmentshould be possible, provision be made for quickly adjusting the movablejaw when coarse adjustments are desired. It is for this reason that thehandle is composed of separate parts, as provision must be made forexpeditiously disconnecting the handle from the shank extension. Thiscan be readily done by firmly gripping the rear extremity of the handleand compressing the members against the resistance of the spring 13,swinging the members upon their common pivots 14 and separating thethreaded portions of the handle from the threads upon the extension 3.In order that this may be done, it is necessary that the handle beturned to a position at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1, or, inother words, to the position shown in Fig. 4, so that the inner ends ofthe handle members will be unobstructed by the extensions of the frontand rear walls of the movable-jaw shank. Very little movement isrequired to separate the threads, and I have found in practice that itis simply necessary to make the combined contours of the flanges 6 inthe form of an oval, as shown in Fig. 3. This insures the close fittingof the handle and movable-jaw shank when the latter is in one position,or that shown in Fig. 1, and permits slight movement just sufiicient toseparate threads when the parts are relatively positioned, as shown inFig. 4. It will thus be observed that the coarse adjustment of themovable jaw is effected by simply turning the handle to the properposition, compressing its rear end, and sliding the jaw and handle untilthe latter has been properly positioned. The grip upon the handle isthen relieved, the spring 13 restores the threaded connection betweenthe handle and the threaded extension 3, and the further or fineadjustment of the jaw is effected by rotating the handle, the entiremanipulation of the wrench being accomplished without releasing the holdupon the handle and without in any way interfering wit-h the handling ofthe tool to accomplish the work to be performed.

While the present embodiment of my invention appears to be at this timepreferable, I do not desire to limit myself to the structural detailsillustrated and described, but reserve the right to change, modify, orvary them at will within the scope of the protection prayed.

What I claim is- 1. In awrench, the combination with afixed jaw andshank provided with a continuously screw-threaded extension, of amovable jaw, a handle operatively connecting the movable jaw and thethreaded extension, said handle being adapted by its own movement to bedisconnected from the threaded extension, substantially as set forth.

2. In a wrench, the combination with a fixed jaw and shank provided witha threaded extension, of a movable jaw, a handle operatively connectingthe movable jaw and shank, said handle being composed of a plurality ofrelatively movable members, normally engaging the threaded extension,and adapted by the movement of the movable members to be disengagedtherefrom, substantially as set forth.

3. In a wrench, the combination with a fixed jaw and shank provided witha threaded extension, of a movable jaw, a handle comprisin g a pluralityof relatively movable members normally operatively engaging the threadedextension, and means for permitting the disengagement of the handlemembers from the threaded extension when the handle is in certainrelative positions with respect to the movable jaw and not otherwise,substantially as specified.

4. In a wrench, the combination with a fixed jaw and shank provided witha threaded extension, of a movable jaw provided with a hollow shankhaving its opposite walls extended, flanged and recessed, a handlecomposed of two members pivoted at a point intermediate of their lengthsand provided at one extremity with threaded portions designed to engagethe threaded shank extension, a spring intermediate of the opposite endsof the handle members designed to normally retain the latter inoperative engagement with the shank extension, and flanges upon theinner ends of the handle members, designed to cooperate with the flangesand recesses upon and in the opposite walls of the movable-j aw shank,substantially as specified.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAMES BEEBY.

Witnesses:

E. L. FIOKENSHER, ADAM J. SCHADE.

